Before Sunnydale
by fanciefingers
Summary: How exactly did Buffy burn down the school gym? What happened to Pike? The adventures before Sunnydale. Okay, maybe not the most original story line, but this is my spin on it.
1. Two Weeks Before

Chapter 1~  
  
(Please note that this story takes place two weeks before Buffy Summers moved to Sunnydale. She still resides in Los Angeles. Her parents have just had the divorce finalized and she is heartbroken. Buffy's first Watcher, Merrick, has just died. Her current boyfriend is Pike, and I know it is explained why they break up in the Buffy comic Vivas Las Buffy, but this is my version. Angel is there, watching over Buffy.)  
  
Angel watched as Buffy tackled a vampire pinned it to the ground. He was hiding behind a blanket of trees and shrubs.  
"Stake!" Buffy screamed, struggling to hold down the vampire. Pike searched through Buffy's bag of supplies. He grabbed a stake from in between the holy water and crosses.  
"Buffy!" He threw the stake in Buffy's general direction. Although she had to lean a bit, Buffy managed to catch it. She plunged the wood into the vampire's heart.  
"AAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGHHHHH!!!" The vampire screamed as it turned to ash.  
"Thanks for coming with me, Pike," Buffy said as she gathered herself up, "It's just been so hard with losing Merrick and my parents' divorce. I think pummeling vampires is good for channeling anger."  
"As long as that anger isn't pouring onto me, I'm cool with however you channel it." He smiled. She punched his arm playfully.  
"Ow!" They laughed as Pike and Buffy left the cemetery. Angel came out of his hiding place and looked at the two. He was honestly jealous of the boy named Pike. Angel had loved Buffy ever since he laid eyes on her. But this scruffy-looking kid got to hold her and be with her. He was even jealous that he got to know her. But then again, Angel knew that he could never have a life with Buffy. She might as well be with a boy that cared about her and knew her secret. But no matter how he felt about Buffy, he would protect her. She was so young, so delicate. She didn't deserve this burden. She carried so many already. Her parents' divorce, her Watcher's death, and the thought that she might not live to see her fifteenth birthday. All Angel wanted to do was protect her. And that's all he would do, unless something stopped him. And not much could stop the infamous vampire with a soul.  
  
Buffy was all alone in her room. She just lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling, crying. Her father's things were gone from the house. It made everything seem so much more real. Her mother and father were really divorced. To top the cake, Buffy couldn't shake the idea that the divorce was all her fault. Was it her trouble at school and with the law (really vampire fighting) that had forced her father to move out and divorce her mother? Buffy had been told millions of times by her parents that the divorce had nothing to do with her, but she couldn't believe them.  
"Buffy?" her mother called from outside her door, "Are you alright?"  
Buffy sucked up her tears and said in the most normal voice she could muster, "Fine. Just doing homework."  
"Okay." her mother replied in a voice that was obvious she knew Buffy was lying.  
Buffy felt so empty. She didn't have any passion for anything, except for slaying and Pike. She had been through so much trauma and tragedy since she discovered she was the Slayer, but this was too much. Buffy sensed something, a feeling like she was being watched.  
"Pike?" Buffy called. Sometimes Pike visited her at her window, when they wanted to fool around. But no one was there. 'No one's ever going to be there. No one to help me with my problems, anyway,' she thought.  
"Hello? Anyone?" She leaned out the open window. She could feel the cool, close-to-summer wind on her face. Buffy couldn't see anything, anyway, it was too dark. She was nervous, but she ignored it and closed the window and went to bed.  
  
Angel could breathe easy again (in a matter of speaking). He was almost spotted. If Buffy had seen him, he'd have a hard time explaining. Looking at her through her window, at school, and on patrol? That was literally stalking. Angel was disgusted with himself. Was this what he had sunk to? Watching pretty little teenagers? Angel walked away, but knew he'd be back the next day. 


	2. Bye Bye Lovely World

Chapter 2~  
  
Buffy's clogs clacked as she caught up to a group of girls in the high school.  
"Hey Ashley," Buffy said perkily. With her back turned, the brunette named Ashley rolled her eyes.  
"Hi Buffy." There was a note of dryness in her voice.  
"Watcha doin'?" Buffy said, trying to be one in the group.  
"I'm tired of this!" a blonde shouted, "Buffy, I am tired of pretending I like you! You are a weird, violence-prone, FREAK! And isn't it cute, you're dating a freak! And I don't want to hang with freaks!" Buffy wasn't surprised, but the words stung. She'd been friends with Laura (the blonde) since they were little kids.  
"Fine, if you're so unhappy with me here, I'll leave." She stomped away. Buffy was actually supposed to be in her period 3 science class, but she skipped, to sit by herself. Buffy sat at the top of the high school's stairs. She looked around herself, checking that no one was around. Then, she let go. She cried, tears hitting the cement, warmed by the sun. Buffy wiped away the water and running mascara from her cheeks. She held her knees to her chest, and just rocked herself. Her whole world had fallen out from under her. She'd lost her friends, parents, Watcher (who was like a third parent). And now that that world was gone, she was left in a world where she had to fight for her life and the lives of thousands everyday. In this world, her only escape was Pike, he was the only thing that made her happy anymore. Buffy then stood up, and walked inside to do her makeup again.  
  
Angel frowned. He had watched Buffy cry on the steps from his spray-painted car. She would never be happy anymore. Everything she valued was gone.  
  
"HAHAHAHA!!!" a vampire boomed. He laughed heartily. He had also watched the Slayer cry, but not in person, but from a tape recorder hidden in the surroundings of the school. "The Slayer is in pain! It is a happy day for demon-kind! She will be weak for a long time off! We must assemble demons and attack soon! This is our chance for taking the Slayer's life!" This vampire was like no others of this time. Only alive for eighty years, Miar, the vampire, was cleverer than most vampires. He had drive and was obsessed with the Slayer. That was a lethal combination. "Sir, how long do we have?" A vampire henchman had stood up among the army. "A week and a half! So go! Gather all who will come, kill those who don't!" Miar yelled. The army ran out eagerly. Miar raked his hands through his sandy brown hair. This was his one chance to kill the Slayer. And if he failed, there would be literally Hell to pay. 


	3. Angel Encounter

Chapter 3~  
  
".and I just left. I don't know what to do." Buffy was crying Pike's arms. He just hugged her, his nose in her blonde hair, which smelled like Herbal Essences. He kissed her forehead.  
"You're too good for them, you know that Buffy." He wiped the tears off her cheek with the sleeve of his t-shirt.  
"Maybe, but I don't have anyone else." He pushed her chin up, so that he could look into her eyes.  
"You have me. Don't forget that." She broke into a wide smile, although tears still streamed down. Pike leaned down and kissed her. Buffy looked around her empty room.  
"You'd better go," Buffy said.  
"I don't want to leave you now."  
"My mom will be home soon." He nodded.  
"Call me," Pike said as he swung one of his legs over the windowsill. He swung the other over as well and disappeared.  
  
Pike walked down the street past Buffy's house. He looked back and could see Mrs. Summers' SUV pull up to the driveway.  
"Do you love her?" a voice asked from the shadows.  
"Who's there?" he called.  
"Me." Angel stepped forward. "Well, do you?"  
"I don't know. I like her, but I don't know if I love her. Not yet, anyway."  
"Well, tell me this. Do you care enough?"  
Pike thought this through for a second. "Yes."  
"Alright," Angel said, "There's an army of vampires and demons assembling another army of vampires and demons. They're going to attack the Slayer at her Mid-Year Dance. If she fails, they'll take over L.A."  
"But the dance is next Friday." Pike calculated this in his mind. Buffy had a week and two days to get ready.  
"Now, if you leave her to die, just to save your own skin, I will rip it off." Angel struggled to keep his face from changing. Pike raised an eyebrow.  
"What do you care?" Pike asked.  
"The world needs a hero. Warn her."  
"Who should I say told me this?" Pike found himself standing all alone.  
  
"Excellent," Miar growled. He looked fondly on his army of about two thousand. Miar laughed to himself. This army versus one little girl. He looked down at a paper in his hand.  
  
ONE NITE ONLY  
MID-YEAR DANCE  
APRIL 30  
COME ONE COME ALL!  
  
A dance. A school-dance. All the little children, gathering for a party. The Slayer would have a hard time saving their lives and her own. She would be distracted. And then he would suck her heart out through her neck.  
  
"The dance?" Buffy screamed. Pike had visited her at school. "And who told you this?" "I don't know." She looked annoyed with him. Pike sighed. "'bout yay tall"- he indicated Angel's height, "dark, leather coat. ring a bell?" Buffy searched her mind. "Nope. Do you think he was telling the truth?" "I don't think you can take that chance. He said double army. You need a plan." "Right. Come over at five?" Buffy needed Pike to give her confidence, and drive. He nodded and walked away.  
  
Buffy grunted. She was pounding the pads on Pike's hands. She found that the harder she hit, the less she thought about Merrick. When she trained, everything fell away. But at the same time, the thing that reminded her of Merrick the most was training. She could feel the tears burning in her eyes. Buffy punched as hard as she could, trying to hide her tears. Pike was launched across the room. "Okay, let's take a break," Pike said, out of breath. He picked himself up and handed Buffy a towel. "Are you okay?" "Fine," she said, wiping her tears and sweat off her cheeks. Pike frowned. "Do you have a plan for Friday?" He was rubbing his hands, which had taken quite a beating. "Fight for my life?" Buffy said. "You need something better." "Obviously." Pike frowned. He felt so old, lecturing her like this. But he only said it because he worried. 'I guess what parents say is true,' Pike thought. He went over and opened the window. "Don't open that." Buffy sounded annoyed. "I'm gonna catch on fire if I don't," Pike complained. It hit her. "Pike, I've got my plan." 


	4. The Final Battle

Chapter 4~  
  
"You're nuts," Pike said. "But it makes sense."  
"So you're willing to do your part?" Buffy was already wincing as if he'd already said no.  
"Of course I will. I wouldn't just leave you." He thought back to the man in the leather coat.  
"Thanks," Buffy said with all her heart, "now, what are you going to wear?"  
  
"This is a very easy project. A luxury even. There are a group of teenagers, kill them. Any way you can, drink, kill, ANYTHING!" Miar roared. His army roared up in response. This was practically a buffet with enough for everyone. "This Friday you will enter the high school and kill!" He smiled fondly upon the idea of finally killing her. Tasting her blood. Eating the marrow from her bones. He would tear off her head and keep it as a trophy.  
  
Friday came too close, too soon. Buffy was nervous, but still confident. She had come up with a marvelous plan. Her plan would save everyone at the dance. She looked at herself in the mirror. She was wearing a beautiful sequined gold mini and white tank top. She looked like any normal girl, ready to go to a dance, when in fact, she was ready to go to war.  
"Buffy!" Pike was rapping on her window, "open up!" She smiled and opened up the window. He kissed her through the window and he slid in. He was wearing a black t-shirt and pants, but somehow these clothes looked better than his usual clothes.  
"You look fantastic," Buffy said, gazing at his clothes.  
"Back at you." Buffy was suddenly serious.  
"Do you have it?" Her eyes were big with worry.  
"'Course, you'd think any less?" He winked and flashed a silver object from his pocket.  
"Okay." Buffy looked relieved. She smiled, "This is going to be really fun. A date: dancing, music, and killing." She bit her lip. "I hate my life."  
"Well, I like you," Pike leaned forward and kissed her forehead, " and everything that comes with it."  
"You are so sweet. But we got to go." Buffy was smiling ear to ear. "Meet you outside." He again, slipped through the window, while Buffy grabbed her purse and took off down the stairs.  
"Buffy?" her mom said as she walked down the stairs. "Where are you going?"  
"Didn't I tell you? The dance is tonight." Buffy looked out the window. Pike was waving.  
"Oh, have fun," Joyce said, "Buffy, I hope you know that the divorce has nothing to do about you."  
Buffy frowned. "Mom, let's not, let's just not." Buffy ran off out the door.  
"Mom trouble?" Pike asked. Buffy was wiping tears off her cheeks.  
"Nothing. Let's just go have fun." He took her arm and they walked silently to the school.  
  
"Are you all starved? You should be, for tonight is our glory day! A whole gym full of mindless teens ready for the picking!" Miar was standing on a big box, making him look taller and more threatening than all the others. "You will not taste a drop of blood until I address the Slayer. None of you will lay a finger on the Slayer's blonde head! She is mine!" He held up a picture of Buffy Summers with her mother. The army screamed and yelled. Someone even threw a rock at the photo, blasting a whole threw her face. "Let us feed!" Miar lead the army toward the school.  
  
"I'm having so much fun!" Buffy said as she danced. Pike was right beside her, dancing a little as well. "I hope they'll never come. I hope that man was wrong."  
"So do I." But Pike did not want to dance forever, he just wanted Buffy to live through this night. The lights and music were pulled, making the gym extremely dark, but one single spotlight rang down on a vampire who would have been very handsome, if his face was not so distorted. In his claws he held the dead body of the D.J.  
"I cannot hold in my excitement any longer. We are here to party and take down the Slayer. Will she please come up here, Miss Buffy Summers?" Miar looked into the crowd. Two vampires appeared on either side of Buffy, but she walked up willingly. Pike followed, obviously distraught. She climbed up beside Miar. He grabbed her hand and kissed it. She in turn, curtsied.  
"Are we going to fight?" Buffy asked sounding rather bored. Miar laughed.  
"Perhaps you should not be so concerned about us, but about them." He waved his hand toward the crowd of teenagers and demons. Many of the girls screamed when they saw the demons and vampires. Buffy gasped. The army was not to kill her, but to distract her.  
"Let's fight already," Buffy hissed. Miar nodded toward his army. They started to kill. Buffy saw four girls die already.  
"PIKE!" she screamed. He had already staked the two vampires guarding the door.  
"Everyone out! RUN!" he screamed. Most of the students got out, trampling many vampires and demons. But there were fatalities, about ten or fifteen. Out of four hundred, that was pretty good. Once everyone was out, Pike nodded at Buffy and barricaded it shut.  
"Very good, Slayer. You saved most of their lives. Now try yours." Miar swung a backhand, but Buffy grabbed his arm, thrust him forward, and hook kicked him in the back. He fell and when he tried to get up, she karate chopped him. Miar kicked her in the stomach from the floor. Buffy stumbled back, and he round kicked her side. She side kicked his head and flying kicked right after. She grabbed a stake out of her purse, and tried to stake him. He grabbed it from her hand and crushed it into splinters. The army was in awe watching them fight.  
"Nice try, Slayer," Miar growled happily, "You are a tricky one." He licked her face. Buffy was so scared, trying to hold back the tears.  
"Okay, eeew." Buffy stepped back. She never turned her back from him, but felt around for something to kill him with. Her hand touched something cold, round and surprisingly sharp. She picked it up.  
"A discus?" Miar laughed.  
Buffy nodded. "A discus." She held it like they were taught in gym class and aimed for Miar's neck. She threw it as hard as she could. Buffy could hear the bone crunch as the discus tore through Miar's neck. She watched his head bounce on the floor and his body turn to ashes. She kicked them up in a little cloud.  
Buffy elbowed out many demons and kicked them away. She slammed her body against the door.  
"Pike! It's me! Let me out!" Buffy was sounded so afraid. Well, Pike couldn't blame her. She was stuck in an enclosed room with thousands of demons. He tore off the barricade and grabbed her. They rebuilt the barricade. Pike leaned forward and kissed her, she was sweaty and bloody, but he didn't care. He hugged her.  
"Thank god, Buffy," he looked at her, "I love you."  
Buffy nodded. He handed her a small silver object, a lighter. Pike had already doused the outside of the gym and the doors with kerosene. Buffy flipped the lid of the lighter and looked at the flame for a second. She threw it down onto the kerosene doused ground. The flame licked the top of the building, she could hear the thousands of demons inside screaming as they burned.  
Pike held Buffy in his arms. They and another four hundred teenagers watched it burn.  
"SUMMERS!" Principal Mosse was standing behind them.  
"Yes, Principal Mosse?" Buffy asked sweetly.  
"I saw that! I'm expelling you on the spot!" The big, red vein in his forehead was bulging.  
"Yes sir," Buffy said trying to look sad. But she was really insanely happy. This could be her new chance at life. New friends, new school, new life. But what would she tell her mother?  
  
"Buffy, we're moving to Sunnydale," Joyce said the next week.  
"When? Why?" Buffy asked. She didn't want to leave L.A., she still needed Pike.  
"Next week, that's the closest place where there's a high school that will take you."  
"There's not one in L.A.?"  
"Not one that will take you! For God's sake Buffy, you burned down the gym!"  
"Alright, but why so fast?" She was pouting.  
"I don't want you to miss any school. Go and start packing." Buffy frowned and headed up stairs. She found a surprise in her bedroom.  
"Pike?" Buffy asked. He was sitting on her bed, waiting.  
"So you're moving away," he said sadly.  
"Yep. I'm sorry."  
"So how's this going to work?"  
"It's not. Pike, I think we should break up."  
"But I love you."  
"And I do too, but I want you to have a normal life, demon free."  
He nodded. They hugged. "Good-bye, Buffy, I hope you have a good life." He slipped away. She sighed.  
  
Angel nodded from outside. Nobody had seen him and that's just the way he wanted it. "So she's moving to Sunnydale," he said to himself, "I go with her." He went back to where he was living and started packing.  
  
Buffy tossed and turned. She dreamt images of an angry, ugly vampire, a quiet town and a man dressed all in black.  
  
THE END 


End file.
